Microsoft Surface 2 tablet approved for US airline cockpits

Microsoft’s Surface Pro 2 has been cleared for use in airline cockpits in the US by the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA).

The device now joins the Apple iPad on the FAA’s list of approved pilot EFBs (Electronic Flight Bags) for use in all phases of flight.

Apple’s popular tablet is already in use by American Airlines and Alaskan Airlines. However, Delta recently announced that it will deploy the Surface in its cockpits instead of the iPad, which it also tested.

According to Delta, it preferred the  readability, productivity apps and other features of the Surface Pro 2 to its competitor. The airline also added that utilising the device would allow its pilots to go paperless and save fuel.

An official Microsoft blog post stated the following on the matter:  “Through this authorisation process, we’ve completed rigorous environmental and situational testing of the Surface 2 tablet, streamlining the approval process when airline operators want to use Surface 2 tablets as a Class 1 EFB during flight operations.”

Source: Engadget